UNH Record Label Signs Two Artists

Purebred Records, a student-run record label at the University of New Haven that was launched last spring, has signed its first two artists, both of whom are expected to release albums in the fall.

In addition to Hannah & Maggie, a New York-based duo that in September won CT Folk’s 2012 Songwriting Competition, Purebred Records signed Lansky Aloi, a hip-hop artist and University of New Haven graduate student.

Murray Krugman, the founder of Silverwolf Records and the label’s faculty adviser, said Purebred Records received about a dozen submissions after the label’s launch was reported by the New Haven Independent and other media outlets.

The signings were the result of what Krugman described as a “semi-consensus process.”

“I saw part of my responsibility as building the consensus,” Krugman said, reflecting on an experience he had at Columbia Records shortly after graduating from Wesleyan University.

The company was thinking about dropping two acts, Carl Perkins and NRBQ, when Krugman suggested having the artists collaborate, which they did on Boppin’ the Blues.

“It’s that easy?” Krugman said he asked rhetorically.

It’s that kind of empowerment that he wants to give his students.

The label is an extension of a course taught by Krugman, who said he believes in experiential education but also recognized a need to ensure that the project would be equitable for all involved.

Signing Aloi and Hannah & Maggie, Krugman said, gave the students insight into the practical side of the music business.

While Aloi’s music might be more reflective of his students’ tastes, and recognizing the appeal of having a signed artist on campus, Krugman said that signing Hannah & Maggie had its own benefits, which he explained to the aspiring music-industry professionals at Purebred Records.

Hannah & Maggie, he pointed out, perform frequently (the duo is scheduled to appear at Chamard Vineyards, in Clinton, on March 8) and thus won’t expect Purebred Records to act as an agent. Krugman described that signing as a “gift.”

Empowering students to make these decisions is part of developing their thoughtful stewardship of the label, Krugman said.

Purebred Records’s Soundcloud profile describes it as “a fully functioning, student run record label at the disposal of the University of New Haven ... and the community at large. Our organization’s purpose is to provide students with a variety of experiences that emphasize their education and promote creativity in applying themselves to real-world issues and topics.”